Exodus 20:14
"You shall not commit adultery"
Adultery is the full manifestation of the spirit of lust. All forms of sexual immorality fall under this category; be it pedophilia, polygamy, homosexuality, bestiality, onanism, or anything that involves engaging in sexual relations by yourself or with an object or another person outside the bond of marriage. This normalization of sex out of wedlock can lead to adverse consequences, including shattered relationships, emotional pain & humiliation, and the spread of STDs. See the blog post on How to Live According to Scripture to see how to resist temptation.
For men, adultery bears certain drawbacks. It can slow or prevent men from finding a woman who is worth their time and dedication, possibly preventing them from maturing into true fathers if they have children with someone they don't want to be around. This means they won't build the relationship with the mother needed for a successful family. This lack of effort to improve their relationship and support their family leaves these men with no understanding of the sacrifices made by their forefathers to shape their present, leading to a disconnect between their desires and their purpose. Consequently, they may remain self-centered, unable to comprehend the relevance of the self-sacrifice required for their families.
Women, too, face downsides from adultery. Sex for both men and women is deeply binding; it's meant for sealing a relationship and making children with joy and pleasure. Men feel this binding quality to a lesser degree than women do. So when women offer their bodies for pleasure without demanding commitment from a potential husband this creates a lack of emotional security for both people. This commitment is essential for family-building as life is full of trials that make people want to give up on relationships. This means you’ll have feelings of abandonment when the untethered partner moves on. Additionally, good men seek suitable partners to be their wives, and a willingness to engage in adultery may be fun for a time but it signifies to them that you are a woman who lacks the qualities required for a committed partnership.
Adultery takes a heavy toll on children, inflicting perhaps the most profound wounds. Growing up in homes where parents are absent or separated denies them the experience of a functional family unit. The absence of role models depicting a successful marriage compromises their ability to foster healthy relationships with their future partner and children, making it more likely that they will continue the cycle of unsuccessful relationships and pass it on to their children.
The purpose of marriage: to put it in the terms of the Book of Genesis "a man shall leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife and the two shall become one flesh". This means that God's intent is for a man and woman together and acting as one to establish their household, caring for each other as they care for themselves. Treating each other as extensions of their mind and bodies, to participate in and extend the creation God began by becoming one flesh physically in the form of their children. This means that any twisting of this guideline that God set of one man and one woman becoming one flesh is a fragmentation of the covenant of marriage.
Adultery's effects extend far beyond the people involved. It hurts those you love and the people that care for those you hurt. It eventually hurts your emotional & spiritual wellbeing (See blog post The Results of Our Actions on Hosea). It complicates the quest for a committed partnership and casts a shadow over the upbringing of future generations. There is little that hurts as much as the pain caused by a spouse's sexual immorality.
This commentary is the basis to the children's poem book God's Law Revealed in Poems now available on Amazon. If you read and enjoy this book, please leave a review on Amazon to help others guide their children towards the light.